Developed By: Linda Marson
Artwork: Images from the Rider-Waite Tarot deck, reproduced by permission of U.S. Games Systems Inc.
GlobalSpiritualStudies.com
2017

I have followed Taroist Linda Marson’s “TarotNav – A GPS For Life” from its inception. Her work is incisive, inclusive, and a tremendous resource for an individual to take control of their own life through the energies in each of the 78 cards of the Tarot. Using her own lifelong experience in reading the Tarot for herself, Marson has created a set of 23 videos (based on the Major Arcana), with an accompanying e-book, that act to help the reader work through everything from life changing issues to simple, everyday life. The material in the videos was drawn from Marson’s “Ticket, Passport and Tarot Cards” 2006 TV series (which was based on a book by the same name that used stories of Marson’s travels around the world to explain the meaning of the 22 Tarot trumps).

Each video is from 7-10 minutes long, which makes them very easy to work with. What better way to help interpret cards that may be giving you difficulty in a reading. Or, what better way to choose a card (or cards) to work with on specific issues! There is an overview of the basic energy of each card, as well as how the directions that evolved from “TarotNav – A GPS For Life” readings have actually played out in life.

Background from The Lovers video:

“Here you see the Hindsight Spread which I designed as a way of reflecting on decisions made in the past. This opens the way for your TarotNav GPS to set you on a path where only the positive aspects of the past repeat themselves. In 2014, I used the Hindsight Spread to reflect on a decision in 2009 to spend a year studying Kabbalah. I knew the decision was right for me at the time, but it was fascinating to see a fuller picture emerge from the reading, one that reminded me of the importance of that decision and how I should keep using the map of the Tree of Life as a reference point in my life.”

What I consider to be a real bonus are two videos that demonstrate popular Tarot layouts – the Celtic Cross and the Horseshoe Spread.

The “TarotNav –A GPS For Life” e-book (51 pages) consists of basic meanings for all 78 cards, navigation tools or road maps … a series of layouts and guides to navigating your way through anything that life throws at you, and a workbook/journal for you to keep track of the questions you ask, the readings you do and the action you take as a result. (Marson notes that documenting your journey is an important element of the TarotNaving process.) The journal can be downloaded from the site as either a Microsoft Word document, or as a PDF. If the reader is working with the USB drive, Marson recommends printing out the e-book.

Note: The journal entries include the readers name, the date, the layout used, the area of life being addressed, the question, a photo of the cards in the layout, an interpretation, a summary of the interpretation, an action plan based on the reading, how many time the question has been asked, the dates it was asked, what has happened since the question was asked previously, any recurring cards, and any other thoughts.

I am impressed with the ease of using this material – and I have to say that I adore the music used in the videos (from Canadian composer Rejean Paquin). There are printed instructions that come with the USB drive. Marson notes that the material can be downloaded onto a hard drive for easy reference, but she also notes that this is copyright material that should be respected – i.e. it cannot be reproduced or shared without written permission from her. This is common sense, and she delivers the message in a tactful, gracious manner. I hope that everyone who purchases this delightful life tool will act appropriately.

Note: Kudos to Marson’s daughter Marion Marson for the beautiful logo for “TarotNav – A GPS For Life”.

The “Spiritsong Tarot”, by Paulina Cassidy, is a 78 card deck, accompanied by a 105 page guidebook, that follows the traditional framework of 22 Major Arcana and 56 Minor Arcana cards. Cassidy, whose work includes the Joie de Vivre Tarot, the Paulina Tarot, the Witchlings oracle, and the Faerie Guidance oracle, has added yet another level to the Tarot by placing animal guides in each card to act as gateways between the physical world and the spiritual world. Her selection was based on both Shamanic and Native American symbolism, matching the animal to the traditional attributes of the card. The cards and deck come packaged in a hard cardboard lift top box, with the image of the card Strength on the top of the box, and information about the deck on the bottom.

The Major Arcana retain their traditional titles, with the exception of The Fool, which becomes The Traveller; the Hierophant, which becomes the Shaman; the Lovers, which becomes Love; The Wheel of Fortune, which becomes The Wheel; Death, which becomes Transformation; The Devil, which becomes The Shadow; and Judgment, which becomes Awakening. Strength is VIII, Justice is X. The suits are Acorns/Wands, Shells/Cups, Feathers/Swords, and Crystals/Pentacles. The court cards carry the traditional titles of King, Queen, Knight, and Page.

The cards are 3” by 5”. The card backs are a lovely antique white, with brownish lotus like imagery going up the center of the card.The card faces have a ¼” outer border, with a thin black border around the imagery. The card title is at the bottom, surround by delicate artwork. The Major Arcana title includes the card number and title, with two keywords in smaller letters under it. The pips (numbered cards) include the card number (written out) with the suit, with two keywords under it, in smaller letters. The Court Cards include the court title and suit, with two keywords in smaller letters under it. While I normally do not like to see keywords on a card, the fact that they are written in small lettering to me makes them acceptable, as they do not really “claim place” in the card. The artwork is fantasy style, with a pastel color palette.

The Ace of Acorns features the Ram as the animal guide. Keywords are “creative force” and “confidence”.

The Ace of Feathers features the Goat as the animal guide. Keywords are “mental clarity” and “foundation”.

The Eight of Shells features the Starfish as the animal guide, with the keywords “quest” and “renewal”.

The Empress features the Rabbit as the animal guide, with “beauty” and “abundance” as the keywords.

In the introduction to the guidebook, Cassidy talks about bringing together the world of Tarot, and the world of animal guides. She also talks about the elemental signs, and the four suits and their attributes. Each card is presented with the card title, the animal guide associated with it, the cards message, keywords, reversed message, and reversed keywords. No images are included. At the end of the guidebook is a section on connecting with the cards, as well as templates for the following spreads: The Spiritsong Star Spread, the Spiritsong Healing Spread, the Spiritsong Tree of Life Spread, a One Card Oracle Reading and a Three Card Oracle Reading. There are two blank pages at the very end for notes.

I love the gentle nature of the pastel coloring and the fantasy artwork, and the wonderful manner in which animal guides are introduced. This deck can be used for such diverse purposes as divination, meditation, card a day guidance, and personal growth (to name a few). It would also work well in a comparative reading, where the same cards are pulled from two or more decks, placed in the same template, and read together.

“Astrology In Tarot” is a 108 page e-book by Astrologer and Tarotist Alison Coals. Not all Tarot readers use astrological associations, as Coals points out in her introduction. But when a reader does decide to use them, they do bring another layer of understanding into a reading. The system that Coals uses is a modification of the system developed by the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn.

Coals notes that not all decks lend themselves to an astrological overlay. It is up to the reader to decide if they want to use astrological associations in a reading, and which deck they wish to work with.

In her prelude to addressing each of the cards, Coals presents the reader with the qualities associated with each of the planets, and each of the signs of the zodiac (starting the year at 0 degrees Aries). There are also charts of each of the signs under Cardinal, Fixed, and Mutable; the twelve Major Arcana that are associated with the twelve signs; and the seven Major Arcana that are associated with the seven planets. (The Fool, the Hanged Man, and Judgment are considered to be elemental trumps, associated with Air, Water, and Fire respectively.)

Each individual Tarot card is presented with their astrological associations: for example, the Hanged Man is associated with the element of Water, and linked to the planet Neptune, followed by a short discussion of how the attributes of each association play out in the card.

The Minors start with the Two’s through Ten’s. Each card is presented with the card number and suit name, the associated planet, along with the sign that the planet is in, and an approximate date that the card rules. For example, the Three of Cups is Mercury in Cancer, and rules from the 2nd – 11th of July. This is followed by a discussion of how all of this plays out in the card.

In the Court Cards, the Golden Dawn system assigns Cardinal attributes to the Queens, Fixed attributes to the Kings, and Mutable attributes to the Knights. The presentation for the Kings, Queens, and Knights includes the main energy for the card, along with how the attributes work with it. For example, the Queen of Pentacles is listed as someone who is practical and down to earth. She is associated with Capricorn, a Cardinal Earth sign, and alternately with Taurus, a Fixed Earth sign.

The Aces and Pages are not assigned planets or signs in the Golden Dawn system. Aces are seen as pure elemental quality: Ace of Wands – primal Fire, Ace of Cups – primal Water, Ace of Swords – primal Air, Ace of Pentacles – primal Earth. Pages are associated with the Aces. There is a very nice chart in this section listing the associations between the four quadrants, the four seasons, and the Aces/Pages. An example here would be Aries/Taurus/Gemini, Spring, Ace/Page of Pentacles. Basically what we are seeing here is the seasonal attributes over-laid on the basic energy of the Aces and Pages.

There are appendices listing the astrological correspondences for the Major arcana (planet, sign, and element); the astrological correspondences for the Minor Arcana; Court card astrological correspondences (for the Golden Dawn and for an alternative system); astrological correspondences for the Aces and Pages; references (decks and books); a short bibliography; and a listing of useful resources.

The tone of writing is very light and airy – too light for me, but Coals does get her points across. I would have preferred her to stick with the Golden Dawn system, rather than tossing in different systems as she went along. You probably need to know that I know a minimum of astrology, and while I understood and could follow what Coals was saying, I don’t see the need for adding the astrological layer to a reading. Were I to do so, I would be more inclined to use the Kabbalah and astrology as mutual layers. Astrologers will find this book easy to follow, and of benefit. Those with little to no astrology background will be able to follow the book, but could get easily sidetracked.

The “Illuminati Tarot – Keys of Secret Societies” is a traditional 78 card deck, accompanied by a 176 page companion book. The box that the deck and companion book come in features a lift top, with the traditional Schiffer magnetic closure. The bios of the author and artist are featured on the inside of the lid. That in itself is very awesome!

The backbone of this deck is that it is an exploration of what are called “secret societies” – groups of people reflecting a unified philosophy that operate in the shadows of society (my definition). DuHamel’s background as a former member of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, an initiate of the AMORC (Ancient and Mystical Order Rosae Crucis – also known as the Rosicrucian Order) and as an ordained minister help to give her the perspective needed to see how these organizations may have influenced the origins of the Tarot, and to see the historical implications. This is backed up well by the illustrations done by Greyvenstein, an illustrator and graphic designer born in South Africa.

Five historically relevant secret societies are represented in this book: The Priory of Scion (through the Major Arcana), the Rosicrucians (through the suit of Cups), the Freemasons (through the suit of Swords), the Martinists (through the suit of Coins), and the Golden Dawn (through the suit of Wands). The attempt has been made here to examine the history and imagery relating to each card, to give in-depth card meanings, and to offer specific keywords that will help the student along their own path.

The 176 page companion book refers to the 78 cards of the Tarot as the “Royal Road”. While the companion book itself is an excellent resource, DuHamel has shared other resources, including individuals that study and write on the background of Tarot, throughout the pages. Arabic origins are presented, as well as some thoughts on the origins of Tarot that are generally considered to be myths (such as Egyptian mystery schools, and the nomadic gypsy culture). Heresy – the posit is made that perhaps the Visconti-Sforza Tarot is not the oldest Tarot, that the oldest Tarot may be a French deck entitled Charles VI (also known as the Gringonneur or Estensi Tarot). (Just joking about this being heretic!)

The backbone of this deck is that the Tarot shares links with secret societies both past and present. DuHamel references Tarot being used as a hermetic vehicle through such connections as Freemason Antoine Court de Gebelin (1719-1784), Rosicrucian and former Freemason Alphonse Louis Constant (1810-1875), and esoteric scholar Arthur Edward Waite (1857-1942).

The presentation for the Major Arcana include a small (approximately quarter page) full color scan, the card name and number (in Roman numerals), a short quote, esoteric background, meaning (associations for Archangel, Cabala, Element, and Hebrew letter), a discussion of the card, and Keywords.

The presentation for the pips includes the card number and suit, in text, a small (approximately quarter page) full color scan, and Keywords.

The presentation for the Court Cards includes, title and suit, a small (approximately quarter page) full color scan, a quote, esoteric background, associations (Nature, Element, Tetragrammaton, Card Personage), and Keywords.

At the end of the book is an inclusive bibliography that allows the reader to do further research on their own.

The traditional structure for naming the Major Arcana has been kept intact, with Justice at VIII and Strength at XI. The suits are Cups, Coins, Wands, and Swords. The Court Cards have been renamed: Novice/Page, Initiate/Knight, Adept/Queen, and Mage/King.

The cards are 3” by 4 ¾”, on glossy card stock. The backs are reversible, and feature a brown and gold outer border, followed by a thin black inner border. The centered image is that of a fleur de lis, with the outer two petals done in gold, and the center petal in silver. The card faces show the same brown/gold border, with a thin gold inner border. The Major Arcana show the card title in black, at the bottom of the card, against a gold banner. The pips (numbered cards) show the card number in Roman numerals in black, at the bottom of the card, against a gold banner. The Court Cards show the card title and suit in black letters, at the bottom of the card, against a gold banner.

The gold/brown coloring gives an “antique” feel to the deck. Each card has the Hebrew letter associated with it somewhere on the card. I loved the artwork – it is the type of deck where one continues to look for symbolism beyond the obvious, beyond the “first layer”.

The Fool shows a modern day man, dressed in a business suit, with his dog at his knee. Meanings include Lumiel (Archangel), Path 32, Malkuth-Yesod (Cabala), Fire (Element), and Shin (Hebrew letter).

The Chariot shows a male figure (representing Sir Isaac Newton), dressed in court cloths: a red jacket, red shoes, white stockings, and white cuffs. In his right hand he holds a blue apple (referencing the light coming through the church window at the Church of Saint Mary Magdalene, RLC, giving the appearance of blue apples dancing). In his left hand he holds a red apple. Meanings include Raphael (Archangel), Gemini (Astrology), Path 17, Binah-Tiphareth (Cabala), Air (Element), and Zayin (Hebrew Letter).

The Novice of Cups shows a male figure (representing Christian Rosenkreuz), dressed in a flowing blue robe, over a white shirt with long sleeves. Under his left arm he is carrying an esoteric journal, while his right hand grasps a staff. The background is murky, with what appears to be a castle on a hill in the distance. Associations include Dreaming the Dream (Nature), Earth of Water (Element), Heh (Tetragramaton), and young child (Card Personage).

The Two of Cups shows two cups (one silver, one gold), standing in the middle of a wreath of roses. Keywords include attraction, romance, cooperation and harmony.

The Mage of Coins shows a series of white stars against a dark background, representing spiritual consciousness. Associations include Benevolent Power (Nature), Fire of Earth (Element), Yod (Tetragrammaton), and older man (Card Personage).

The Adept of Wands shows a female figure (representing Isis), standing. She is wearing a white dress, with an Egyptian headdress. In her right hand she holds a white lotus, in her left hand a gold ankh. At her feet rests a ram. Associations include Inner Grace, Outer Beauty (Nature), Water of Fire (Element), Heh (Tetragrammaton), and mature woman (Card Personage).

The VII of Wands shows a hand coming up from the bottom of the card, with two hands in the middle of the card, one hand coming in from each side of the card. Three Wands cross in each direction, with the seventh Wand upright between them. Keywords include valor, courage, and overcoming obstacles.

I am very pleased with this deck and the companion book. I may not agree with everything that is presented, but I feel that it is good to have an open mind. I also hold the opinion that esoteric societies have had a great deal to do with the development of the Tarot. This deck, and its companion book, are best approached by someone who has at the least a basic knowledge of Tarot and Tarot history.

Note: There has been some confusion between the Illuminati Tarot: Keys of Secret Societies and Erik C. Dunne’s Tarot Illuminati. These are totally different decks that are both awesome in their own right.

Inspired by the ancient holy one. She is grandmother, witch and hag. She has been ignored or trivialized because she holds powers that others fear or deny. Powers of time and transformation, of death and shadow, of wisdom and pain, of magic and wonder. Ellen Lorenzi-Prince

I have followed this deck since its inception – as a handmade Limited Edition. To realize that this is the third birthing is absolutely amazing! The deck and companion book hold incredible power – power that we hold in our hands to help us to understand ourselves, to understand life, and to help others understand themselves and their lives. It is the power of transformation, the literal power of the Crone.

Tarot of the Crone is a 78 card deck with an 85 page companion book. Deck and book come packaged in a hard cardboard, life top box. The box has a black background, with a picture of the Star on the cover. The bottom of the box features pictures of the Priestess and the Wheel.

The Major Arcana follow traditional titles, with the following exceptions: High Priestess/Priestess, Hierophant/Tradition, Lovers/Crossroads, Wheel of Fortune/Wheel, Hanged Man/Sacrifice, and Judgment/Calling. Justice is VIII, Strength is XI. The suits are Wands, Cups, Swords and Disks. The Court cards are entitled Beast, Witch, Grandmother, and Shadow.

The cards are 3” by 4 ½”, with a glossy surface. The card backs are a solid black, which fits in well with the journey of transformation that this deck represents (the Crone’s journey). The card faces show a ¼” black border, with the card number/title in white at the bottom of the card. Roman numerals are used for the Major Arcana, with the numbers for the Minor Arcana written in text.

The companion book dedicates the deck to Hekate. In the front of the book is an explanation of who the Crone is, and how to meet her/bring her into your life. The Major Arcana cards are said to represent times when the Crone is speaking directly to the soul of the Seeker. The Minor Arcana represent qualitied or aspects of our magical, emotional, mental and mundane lives. There is a listing of the colors used in this deck, and what they symbolize. Each suit is based on two colors (along with black and white): Wands – Red and Yellow, for Power and Will, Cups – Red and Purple, for Feeling and Soul, Swords – Blue and Yellow, for Mind and Ability, Disks – Green and Brown, for Life and Flesh.

The prelude to the Minor Arcana defines the elements and the numbers, as well as the Faces (Court cards). Beast is defined as the primal instinct of the power. The wild and whole expression of the element. Witch is defined as the focused use of the power concerned with fulfilment and expression of self. Grandmother is defined as the mature expression of the power concerned with family and community. Shadow is defined as the element’s overdone, destructive and devouring power.

Each card is presented with a poem, an explanation of the cards energy, and a small, full color photo. (Note: Two cards are presented, with the full color photos following, side by side.) For the Magician, the poem reads:

I am the Something That comes from nothing

I am the Mistress of Illusion I am the Mistress of Reality I am the One Who passes between

The Fool is said to look beneath the everyday world. The Fool accepts the risk of becoming lost in the Void. Lorenzi-Prince goes on to say that we need to become formless and timeless to create a new future.

The Magician is represented as a mask with living eyes. This is a force that manifests out of the void and into the world. Here we find will and confidence. We are reminded, however, that the mask is also an illusion. The Magician knows reality and illusion, and crosses freely between them.

Crossroads features faces in shadow, with tripe Hekate standing at a crossroads on a moonless night. Hekate is not there to show us the way, she is there to challenge our path.

The Seven of Wands is associated with the theme of Risk. The cloaked figure stands amidst flames and lines of raw power. She embraces danger in the hope of further achievement. We are encouraged to trust our experience, and take educated risks.

The Beast of Wands is associated with the theme of Cat. A sleek black cat dominates this card. The cat combines instinct and intelligence to achieve her desires.

The Ace of Cups is associated with the theme of Grace. Lorenzi-Prince reminds us here that at the root of all emotion is the ability to feel.

The Five of Swords is associated with the theme of Contradiction. I love the five abstract swords in the card, and how they clash! We are asked to look at not only the other side of a situation, but to turn the situation inside out and look at that. Questions have a tendency to lead to more questions.

The Grandmother of Discs is associated with the theme of Homemaker. The small, loving acts of the Grandmother sustain the home, the community, and the world.

Tarot of the Crone continues to be the story of the transformation of the Crone. The white borders of the second edition have been replaced with (more appropriate, IMHO) black borders. The original poems are included, along with the interpretations that appeared in the second edition. Published in conjunction with the illustrious Arnell Ando, the deck, companion book and black box scream quality and professionalism. IMHO, this is a collectors item, and a must have for ritual work of many types. And yes – it flows well as a divinatory deck too!

Books that are well done will reflect the personality of their author – The Tarot Coloring Book certainly does this. Throughout its 180 pages we see all 78 cards of the Tarot presented through imagery, symbols, the meaning of their colors (and why choosing your own colors is sometimes better), their history, and how they work in a spread.

The book is 9.1” by 10.9”, making the illustrations a really nice size to work with. Physically, it is spiral bound, with a hard binding on the left hand side, allowing the title and author to be seen while the book is shelved. The front and back covers are glossy hard cardboard.

There is commentary in the front of the book from several different sources, with a forward by Mary K. Greer. In her introduction Reed talks about experiential learning … a very hands on way of experiencing the Tarot. She comments that each individual, as they are coloring the cards, will find themselves seeing symbols that they have not noticed before, that patterns and stories will begin to emerge. The student will begin to develop their own meanings for the cards, while learning traditional ones at the same time.

In her chapter on “How To Use This Coloring Book”, Reed presents the following steps: (1) Get a Tarot Deck, (2) Gather Your Coloring Supplies (there is a caution here that felt tip pens will bleed through the paper), (3) Set the Scene (organize your work space), (4) Begin Coloring! Yes – it is just that easy! One important thought here is that Reed views coloring as a contemplative experience – which I totally agree with! (I am a decidedly “non-artistic” person, so if I am working with a coloring book, it is not with the intent of being artistic. It is with the intent of taking a time out in my day, and melding with the material that I am working with.)

As each card is finished, Reed recommends taking a moment to examine the finished image. Some of the questions that she recommends the student asking themselves are: What did you learn about the card? Do certain cards trigger emotions for you? Do particular cards deliver a message to you? Reading this over, to me it makes sense to keep a separate journal as you are working your way through this coloring book to record your journey.

There is a brief history of the Tarot in general, and the Rider-Waite deck in particular, along with short meaning for the colors used in the deck. There is a short section on reading the Tarot, along with a list of ten ways to use the Tarot in everyday life.

Each of the 78 cards is presented with text on the left hand side, and a full page card image on the right hand side. The text includes the card name and number, the element for the Court cards, a sentence describing the energy of the card, how the card may be interpreted in both upright and reversed positions, the main symbols in the card, and suggestions for coloring. (I noted the same thing in James Rickleff’s The Tarot Coloring Book – the suggestions for colors to be used. In both books the colors are only suggestions.)

Please note: I colored the above Tarot card – the choice of colors was mine.

Let’s take a look at the Queen of Pentacles. The sentence that appears under her title is “The Queen of Pentacles symbolizes material success and abundance.” The upright interpretation is one of caring and reliability – the “earth mother”. The reversed interpretation is that of being clingy, scared, unfocused, and having trouble trusting the world. The symbol mentioned is that of the rabbit. Suggested colors include a yellow sky, brown earth, light blue mountains, green trees, a blue river, and a yellow crown with red decorations. You can see my version of life above. (She is the Queen that represents me in the deck, which is why I choose to color her as an example.)

I love the content, the way the book is organized, and the fact that while this book is aimed at those new to the Tarot, making best use of the material is also beneficial for all levels of Tarot students/readers. And … it is fun to play with!

Kaizen is a Japanese term that derives from the business world.“Kaizen” literally means “change for the better” and as abusiness philosophy it has come to represent a philosophy basedon small changes that lead to overall continual improvement. Not a bad philosophy or life, is it!

This is what we at Tarot Kaizen seek to do with our Tarot deck: through small daily exercises we will work towardsincorporating the symbolism and meaning of a new deck intoour Tarot knowledge.(from the book)

In her introduction, Cross talks about decks that we as Tarot readers/aficionados tend to collect. We love our decks, but once we have them we may not, for whatever reason, work with them. She set up the Facebook group Tarot Kaizen to show people how to move their decks into the working deck category. The group itself has been running or about five years, but only runs once or twice a year. To that end, Cross collected all of the daily exercises used in the group into this e-book, so that individuals can begin this work any time they want to, whether a group is running or not.

This book contains over 100 daily exercises – it is suggested that the exercises be worked with on Monday – Friday, taking weekends off. On Monday – Thursday a new card will be worked with every day. On Friday Cross provides the reader with a 3-5 card spread so that they can work with the cards as they learn them, and that they have an opportunity to work with cards that they have not yet studied. Friday is also a review day, in that the reader determines which cards they like, which ones they are ambivalent about, and which ones they do not like. I love the advice that Cross gives he reader at the end of their studies, if they do not like the deck they have been working with, they should set it aside (as opposed to selling it). In a few months time, take another look at the deck. You may find that it has grown on you!

What do you need you work with the Tarot Kaizen system? Time, this e-book, a Tarot deck, and a Tarot journal. (I will also add “the commitment to follow through”.)

I was pleasantly surprised to see that for some of the exercises the reader is required to write a Haiku! I have limited experience with Haiku’s, so I am really looking forward to this! Links are provided to show how this is done.

Okay – Here’s a concept that is completely new to me – Pidgin Tarot! What the heck? Pidgin is a combination of words, sounds, and body language from multiple languages and cultures. It is used to form a relationship between different pieces of information – in the case of the Tarot, it is usually associations made for numbers and Tarot suits. What Cross has done is thrown together keywords for the numbers and keywords for the suits. This allows the reader to apply the same principles to any deck. Yes!

I love how the exercises begin – with a “Flick Through” of the deck (come on – we all do this with a new/new to us deck!). An interesting thought presented here is that if the reader is not quite sure which deck they want to use in the exercise, to do the Flick Through with multiple decks, in order to see which one they really want to work with.

The exercises are short, with simple, easy to follow instructions. Divide you cards into three piles: attract, repel, and meh. Interview your deck. Establish the themes and systems within your deck for the Major Arcana. Establish the themes and quaternities (sets of four, such as the seasons). Determine your birth card. (I use the dual Birth Card system, which can be applied here.) Putting together the energy of a Court Card with the energy of the Suit. What does the Empress mean to you? Write a Haiku.

Cross has a writing style that is very personable. You feel like she is in the room, egging you on (ummm Encouraging you!). You feel like you are in a very special space, doing magical work that is important to you, and getting to know yourself and your cards.

I am using this system to get to know my newest deck, the Third Edition of the Daniloff Tarot. It will be interesting, because this deck has extra cards, so I will be making up some of my own exercises!

Tarot Kaizen is a very special tool to add to your Tarot resources! How far you can go with it depends only on how far you are willing to go, how far you are willing to open your thinking about the Tarot, and your willingness to keep a commitment to doing the work.

I have been thinking about this spread for some time now. I wanted to place the focus on the one person that we need to have a primary relationship with, and that is ourselves. When we understand where we are with our relationship to ourselves, we can understand how to develop the relationship that we want/need with others. Here, we are specifically talking about a romantic relationship.

I have followed James Ricklef’s work from way back when – from the days of his incredible “Ask KnightHawk” column, to his Tarot books (Tarot Tells The Tale (re-released as Tarot Reading Explained), Tarot: Get the Whole Story, Tarot Affirmations, The Soul’s Journey, and Tarot Spreads: Get The Whole Story), his Tarot coloring book (I have one – great fun to play with!), and his Tarot deck Tarot of the Masters.

This is the third edition of the Pithy Tarot. What exactly is the Pithy Tarot? It is an incredible resource that presents easy to remember meanings and interpretations for the 78 cards of the Tarot. The intention is to stimulate further personal insights for the reader. They act as a jumping off place, if you will, for integrating the Tarot into real life. There is a whole range of meanings – from amusing (even us Cappies need to be amused from time to time!), to profound, to inspirational. They come from diverse sources, sources that will appeal to each of us in our own way. Words carry power – it is not wrong to say that this is a powerful book!

In his introduction Ricklef explains why he chose to use “pithy” meanings for the cards. They are not meant to encompass the cards, but to point towards a deeper meaning, and to encourage the readers exploration. This book began as posts in Ricklef’s blog. Soon people began to ask him to gather the meanings into a book … and so he did! Some of the meanings are meant to give advice, some to act as spiritual insights, and some act as warnings.

Ricklef’s suggestions on how to use the Pithy Tarot meanings include advice for the day, a caution or warning for the day, a card that can act to help interpret the events of the day, or pondering the message and allowing your imagination to take you where it will.

For each of the cards, pithy meanings are given, along with suggestions on how to us them in your life. For example, some of the meanings given for the Fool are: Look before you leap, “Fools rush in where angels fear to tread.” (Alexander Pope), and Do not be afraid to march to the beat of a different drummer.

Some of the meanings given for the Wheel of Fortune are: Change is the only constant in life. (paraphrased from Heraclitus), What goes around comes around, Shit happens. Get over it, and There you go again.

Some of the meanings for the Ace of Cups include: Before all else, see love first, Love yourself, and Listen to the wisdom of your heart.

Some of the meanings for the King of Pentacles include: Money talks, Believe in your ability to be abundant, and A man’s home is his castle.

In his appendix Ricklef talks about creating meanings from quotes, proverbs, and traditional sayings. He notes that what the reader creates for themselves will be special to them because they have a bit of the reader’s heart and mind in them.

On the back cover, Ricklef notes that brief, catchy meanings will tend to stick in the readers memory much more easily than lengthier explanations. This book is fun to work with, and encourages the reader to come up with their own pithy meanings.

The Trionfi della Luna 333 is a 78 card Marseilles-style deck, with 10 bonus cards, an 2 alternate cards (Diavolo/Devil and Fulmine/Tower). (It is a cousin to the Deviant Moon Tarot.) The cards come in a flip-top box, wrapped in a stunning gold printed art wrapper that is signed on the back. (I am going to frame mine to hang in my office.) A little added flavor was the Devil card that was tucked into the wrapper! I opened the wrapper very, very carefully – it was folded with expert care, so that I could take it off in one piece, with no tears, and keep “forever”!

The bonus cards are numbered I-X.

The deck itself evolved from a series of spontaneous ink drawings created on the wrappers of signed Deviant Moon Tarot decks. This was originally a majors only deck – I am so happy that Patrick decided to complete it! There is a downloadable LWB on the Deviant Moon site (or there will be soon – it was not up yet when I started this review).

All of the titles in this deck are in Italian, with the suits entitled Spade (Swords), Bastoni (Wands), Coppe (Cups), and Danari (Pentacles). The Court cards are entitled Re (King), Regina (Queen), Caval (Knight), and Fante (Page). The Two of Pentacles follows form for a Marseilles deck and carries the information for the printer (Deviant Moon, New York).

The cards are 2 ¾” by 4 ¾”. The backs are burgundy, with cream colored quarter moons within a diamond shape, and are reversible. The card faces show a ½” antique white border, followed by a thinner black border. The background for the images is an antique cream color. For the Major Arcana, the number is at the top of the card, in Roman numerals. The card title is at the bottom of the card, in Italian. For the Court cards, the title and suit are across the bottom of the card. As this is a Marseilles-style deck, the Minor Arcana show icons only, with the card number, in Roman numerals, centered on either side of the card.

The art style is uniquely Deviant Moon – strange creatures, other-worldly landscapes, and a sense of “in your face” reality. Bad dreams type reality! Perhaps I should say “surreal”, as opposed to reality! The background is medieval combined with 19th century lined illustrations.

Whatever it is – it works! It took me a long time to get used to the Deviant Moon Tarot, but once I was over that little bump in the road, I wanted every deck that Patrick could ever conceive of putting out there!

We see La Papessa standing on a pile of books, with flames behind her. La Giustizia (Justice) stands with her sword and scales in an almost menacing manner. I love the eye that takes center stage in La Ruota (the Wheel of Fortune). Interesting that in the Re di Spade (King of Swords) he holds in front of him a shining sword, yet the sword that he holds behind him drips blood, There is a fire behind him, and the quarter moon in the sky drips blood.

The Ten of Swords shows eight curved swords, with two straight swords in the middle, dripping blood. The Regina de Bastoni (Queen of Wands) shows the figure facing the left hand side of the card, with ghost faces behind her. The Fante di Dinari (Page of Pentacles) is quite the interesting figure, as it is shown running after the Pentacle icon, which has wings.

I have thoroughly enjoyed working with all of Patrick’s work. It is innovative, and exciting. I think that you will all enjoy this deck!

I am going to put in a plug here for the book that Patrick wrote concerning his journey with the Tarot, and how his art evolved. It is a huge, amazing book, and you all need to read it! It is called the Deviant Moon Tarot Book (U.S. Games Systems, Inc., 2015).